True Colors
by Okami-Raen
Summary: Aya Akatsuki is a rouge who never backs down from a mission, not even when it puts her in uncomfortable situations, such as returning to her home, the Fairy Tail Guild, just to track down her newest prey: one Reitfox Gazille. Gazille/OC HIATUS
1. Aya's Journal Entry

Ciaossu~! This here's my new fic! XD

So this chap is basically the intro to the OC, Aya Akatsuki. There will be pairings in the future, but I haven't decided, and thought it'd be best to see who you guys will vote for! So, let's begin! & to warn you, I'll probably be keeping up with the newest scantilations, so if you're not reading it on onemanga or any other site that has the scantilations, there'll be spoilers.

So back to what this'll be about... It'll all be 1st person POV, but this intro is more like a journal entry...got it?

So, don't forget to review^^ I appreciate it

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True Colors-A Fairy Tail Fic

INTRO

Fate likes to play tricks on me…

For instance, putting me in odd situations that make me want to slap my forehead for all the annoying, uncomfortable, frustrating things that come about…

This time, fate threw its biggest punch at me, setting me up for something that I _never_ thought would happen.

I was going home.

…

Well, shall I introduce myself now? I mean, you _must _be wondering what the hell's wrong with going home, right? Or at least, where and what my home is, am I right?

It doesn't matter what your answer is, you're going to find out anyway. And I don't mean this in an angry tone; I'm just saying what's what, alright?

Alright.

Well for starters, my name is Aya. Aya Akatsuki. I'm 18, dark haired, and am a mage. What guild do I belong to?

None.

I am a bounty hunter mage for hire, hunting down whatever I get paid to hunt.

Why is that?

Well for one, the pay is good, often better than mage guild tasks… And secondly, I like my job.-well, scratch that- I _usually_ like my job.

At the moment, I'm pissed beyond all reason at my job.

So here's the story; I get a call for a new mission, accept it, only to find that my prey is in a place I thought I might not ever go back to.

The Fairy Tail Guild.

My home sweet home…once upon a time anyway.

Now I'll explain later on why it's not my home anymore… For now, just hang in there and have some patience, it'll do you some good.

Before I go, I'll tell ya just who my "prey" is, I mean, you've probably heard of him…

Gazille Reitfox, the Iron Dragon.

Know him, right?  
He's that mage who left the Phantom Guild and joined Fairy Tail Guild, after destroying it…

And I have to say…What the hell is with that?! Seriously! He must be some kinda crazy… But that makes things more interesting for me, eheheh.

Hm, well, I have to be heading out now… Time to go and catch my prey… As well as return home…

Later.


	2. Train Mishap: Enter Itsuki and Satsuki

Aloe! Here's the first chapter!

Remember, reviews are welcome! ^^

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Chapter 1:

You know, most of the time when people eavesdrop, they don't really mean to; most of the time they just kinda fall into eavesdropping because of some word, name, or interesting sentence. The only thing you can blame is human curiosity…the thing that often gets people such as myself into trouble.

So there I was on the train, my ear pressed to a compartment door as I strained to hear what was being said inside.

"-went and allowed the both of those ex-Phantoms to join, can you believe it? I mean after they destroyed the guild… ridiculous, don't you think?"

"Yeah, what is that Makarov thinking?"

"Ah well, he's got a few screw lose they say. I mean, look at that grandson of his… whathisname…uh, Luxus."

I pressed ever closer to the door, my ears pricking at the name.

"Mm yeah that's right. That guy's pretty messed up, ain't he?"

"That's not the end of it," the first man lowered his voice, "A friend of mine caught wind that soon Makarov's gonna choose a successor."

"What?" I gasped silently, my eyes wide. The second man seemed to react similarly, but before I could hear his reply, the train took a sudden lurch to the left, slamming me against the door.

I saw stars.

"Huh? Miss are you alright?" asked a voice as I blinked to clear my vision. I looked up to see two men looking down at me with concern.

Hm, they didn't recognize me. Good.

"I um… I'm fine." I replied in a fake innocent sounding voice. "I was trying to find an empty seat, but all the compartments were full and…" I gave them a smile to match the voice.

The two guys were young, maybe a couple years older than me. One was dark haired, and the other was white blonde. Both stared at me with slightly red cheeks. I inwardly grinned as I knew my "charms" would work on them.

As soon as I had finished my sentence, the dark haired guy grinned.

"If you like you can stay in our compartment, there's plenty of room."

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a burden-"

"Of course not!!" cried the white blonde. He held out his hand to help me up, "Please, I insist!"

I took his hand and was led inside.

I kept up my innocent, girly attitude and sat on the edge of the window seat, my legs swinging back and forth.

The two guys sat back down, the dark haired guy closer than I reckoned necessary. I smiled at them and then gazed out the window.

_Ah, I hope I don't have to keep this up for too long…_ I thought. The happy-go-lucky, innocent-girly nature wasn't me. But I was used to having annoying covers that were pretty much opposite of me.

"So, where're you headed?" asked the blonde as he leaned against the seat, his arms folded behind his head.

"Uh, visiting some friends." I replied, tearing my eyes away from the window.

"All by yourself?" asked the dark haired guy.

I feigned slight embarrassment, before nodding.

They laughed.

"Ah don't worry, we won't let any creeps mess with you," chuckled the dark haired guy.

"No way, no how," added the blonde.

_And if you're the creeps?_ I thought.

I turned to look out the window again, yawning.

A second later blondie let out a huge yawn; I glanced at him and he attempted to pull an over-used male maneuver, aka the yawn-and-put-arm-around-girl's-shoulders trick.

Okay, I admit I was starting to get annoyed.

"Hey, we haven't introduced ourselves yet," said the brunette.

"Mmm, right. Well I'm Itsuki and this is my cousin Satsuki. We're both mages for the Kisame guild." announced the blonde. "And you are?"

I tried to smile, but it turned into a grimace.

_Ugh, Kisame lackeys…_

The Kisame guild was notorious for its mercenary nature. And more often than not, they got in _my_ way, taking _my_ jobs. Plus they had their own bounty out on me.

The grimace became a devious grin.

It was no more Ms. Nice-Girl.

"Aya Akatsuki at your service," I said in a mock bow.

Both men's expressions all but melted off their faces when they saw it was no joke.

Itsuki's hand moved very quickly from my shoulders to his belt. Satsuki meanwhile reached for something under the seat.

In both cases I reckoned that they were going for their weapons…metal weapons.

I got to my feet and crossed my arms over my chest. In a flash they both came at me, Satsuki with a spear and Itsuki with a wakizashi (small katana).

I grinned as they shrieked in surprise, their very weapons pinning them to the wall.

"What did you do to us?" cried Satsuki as he struggled. His spear was holding his hands and neck tight against the wall. Itsuki on the other hand was frozen with fear, his wakizashi pointed at his throat.

"Guess you two didn't do your homework on rival companies…" I sighed, a smug grin on my face. "Well," I patted Satsuki's cheek, "too bad for you, ne?"

"What do you want with us? We haven't done anything to you!" gasped Itsuki, his head tilted back as far as it could.

"Mmm…true, so very true." I said, "And I am feeling awful generous today… But, you two will have to one thing first."

They both stared at me.

"Lunch." I said, wincing as my stomach moaned. "And then I want some questions answered, such as…" I poked Satsuki in the stomach, "Where you guys are headed, and who your target is."

"But that's classified-!" began Itsuki. He stopped when the wakizashi pricked his skin, letting a few drops of blood roll down.

Satsuki gulped.

"Alright, I'm going to let only one of you go. And that person is getting me food. The other will talk… And if either of you call for backup…so help me, I'll hand your asses to ya. Got it?" For emphasis I made the light above flicker and the compartment to rattle ever so slightly.

"Y-yes!" cried the men in unison.

"Good boys," I chuckled. With a flick of my wrist I released the wakizashi from Itsuki's neck and caught it. "Alright Itsuki, go fetch me some food…or else." His eyes flashed from the weapon to me.

"Yes, right away!" and out the compartment he went.

I grinned and turned to Satsuki, "Now then…" I held the wakizashi in my hand threateningly, "Who are you after, and who sent ya?"

Satsuki bit his lip and tried to seem stubborn. I saw right through it, and let the tip of the blade rest on his shoulder.

"Well?"

He squeezed his eyes shut. "We were sent after the 'Iron Dragon' and any other mages that use dragon slaying magic."

My eyebrows rose, "Why? And who gave you those orders?"

He shook his head.

I let the blade rub against his shirt and down to his belly button, before tilting my head at him expectantly.

"It was-"

THWAK!

I ducked just in time as a handful of sharp objects came soaring my way.

It looked like Itsuki was a bad doggie. I slid towards the window and turned to see my attackers.

Itsuki was there, hiding behind a tall woman with spike like things between her fingers, ready to throw. I could tell just by looking at her that she meant business, and she was no simple lacky, but a full fledged mage.

Behind them were a large group of Kisame members, the insignia annoyingly obvious on their head bands.

"Tch. Do I really have to split so soon?" I whined at the woman, my left leg sliding back into a defensive pose. "I mean, I haven't even had lunch yet-"

I dove out of the way as more of the spikes came at me; one sliced at my leg, causing me to hiss.

"You're trapped, surrender now, or be cut by my blades," snapped the woman in a bored tone.

Did she think I was an easy catch?

"Oh shut up," I snapped back, my hands brushing against the metal plates on the wall of the train. I turned around, my hand slicing through the air at her. "Take that!"

The bolts that had secured the metal plate in place shot off like bullets at the woman, all aimed at vital points that would hurt her quite a bit.

Out of nowhere she whipped out more of her so called "blades" and hit each and every bolt. Instinctively I pulled up the metal plate and used it as a shield. And it was just in time, because she shot off another round.

I whistled at the blade things that were halfway through the plating.

"Nice work, you seem to be pretty qualified for a Kisame brat." I charged my power and sent it through the plate, before letting it whiz off at them like an angry Frisbee.

While they were dodging it, I slid the window wide open and dove through, pulling a second plate with me.

My landing would have been very painful if not for my particular skill.

I whipped the plate underneath me and concentrated, letting my power seep into the metal.

Just as I was inches from the ground (which was speeding beneath me), the plate suddenly jerked upwards slightly, and slid down the hill, me included.

I could hear the frustrated cry of the woman on the train from my already distant location; it brought a grin to my face.

When the plate ground to a stop, I fell off of it and lay on the ground panting.

My leg hurt, and there was a sharp pain in my side, not to mention the fact I was still hungry.

Thinking of being hungry, let alone of what would sate it made me groan aloud, before staggering to my feet and stumbling down the rest of the hill.

Somehow I found myself on a road, but where it led I had no clue. I fell over again, and this time stayed on the ground, my leg throbbing.

_Crud, I think whatever slashed me had some sort of poison on it…_

As if to answer, my vision blurred and flickered.

_Crap…_

My body was numb by the time the sound of crunching gravel reached my ears. I rolled my eyes to the side as far as they would go so I could see the oncoming stranger, but it wasn't far enough.

So instead I lay there and waited, wondering if this person would leave me lying here or help me. And hopefully it was the latter.

"Miss, are you alright?" asked a gruff, but gentle voice.

A face suddenly loomed over me, his eyes cautious.

I tried to speak, but my body didn't want to cooperate.

All I could do was stare up at the man and take in his appearance. White hair, a scar beneath his right eye, muscular… I groaned as a memory came floating back. A magazine on popular mages… an edition purely on Fairy Tail… On the members…

"Elf…man?" I muttered, before falling unconscious.


	3. Trapped

Chap two is out! Yay!

Can you guess who my favorite character is? (hint: at the moment, there aren't any fics with him in it [from what i've seen])

don't forget to review!

the more reviews = the faster chaps get out! {as long as I can manage it {I'm writing four to five things at the same time}}

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Chapter 2:

"_Ohhh it's a bird!" cried a young red haired boy excitedly, grinning at the large bird before him._

"_Why don't we see if we can warm this egg up, okay Natsu?" replied the bird._

"_Great idea Lisana!" laughed the boy, grinning wider._

_A large crowd of Fairy Tail members stood gathered around the two mages and the egg, all curious and wondering-myself included._

"_What's wrong Elfman?" asked a voice to my left. I turned to see a white haired boy pouting, his eyes down cast._

Was he jealous of Natsu finding the egg? _I wondered, before shaking my head. Elfman wasn't like that._

"_Nee-chan and Lisana both can use "Take Over" on their entire bodies…Why am I the only one who can't? I'm 'sposed to be a man…"_

"_Oh yeah, the three of you use the same magic, right?"asked the girl, watching as Natsu and Lisana ran off with the egg. Elfman nodded, his expression sad._

_A second later Ezra and Mirajane began to fight, which was normal. The only thing that had kept them at bay was the mystery egg, and as soon as it disappeared, so did any peace._

_Seeking safety from the dueling hotheads I dove outside, heading for my favorite path for walking._

_I couldn't help but wonder what was in the egg, and I had a feeling it wasn't a dragon._

Then what is it?_ I thought, walking along an old wall that lined the territory, my fingers brushing against the stone._

_Before I could think any further I froze, feeling something on the wall. The steel bracelet around my wrist tingled, telling me that an organic magnetic pulse-aka a person-directly behind it._

Hmm…

_I leaned onto my tip toes to try and see over the wall, but it was too high. Frowning I stepped back and leapt at it, my feet scraping against stone as I heaved myself onto the top._

_Precariously I balanced there, peering down below me._

_White messy hair, a boy's school uniform…_

"_Elfman?" I asked, my fingers trying to keep hold on the slippery smooth stones._

"Ungh…" I muttered, suddenly finding myself waking up.

_Waking up…wait a minute…_ I shot bolt upright; my hand automatically reaching for my Kamikiri, only to realize it was gone.

Kamikiri was my choice weapon, and I had lost it in my last mission.

_Damn it,_ I thought, before glancing around at my surroundings.

Where…was I?

I groaned again and put a hand on my forehead; I felt sick, almost feverish.

Even so, I swung my legs off the small bed and sat upright, instinct causing me to be wary.

My eyes swept the room, searching for any threats.

It was dark, but I was able to make out that the room was small, only containing a bed, table and a few chairs.

_Am I at an inn or something?_ I wondered. Slowly I slid to my feet, wincing when my thigh gave a throb. I looked down to see it bandaged, meaning that someone had more than likely saved my life.

_Grateful as I am, I don't want to carry around anymore debts…_

I hobbled to the only window and pulled back the curtains, letting what little morning light was there into the room.

A sudden groan made me jump and wheel around, my hands going into a defensive position.

I looked around trying to find the source, but didn't see anyone.

_Where-?!_

That's when my eyes fell on a blanket covered heap on the floor beside the bed.

"Aha," I whispered, dropping my defensive stance slightly.

I quietly walked over, curiosity getting the best of me.

Now, I could vaguely remember someone standing over me when I passed out, but who it was exactly, I couldn't be sure. I did have my suspicions, but I didn't want to get my hopes up either.

I crouched down beside the sleeping, blanketed form and tried to see the face.

Whoever this person was, they were pretty big, which made me wonder if it really could be-

"Ungh…" the guy (as I guessed from his voice) groaned and rolled over, his face now exposed.

White hair, scar…

There was no doubt, it was him!

A chuckled escaped me as I grinned, now seeing the kid I used to know in the giant he had become.

I leaned in closer; _that scar wasn't there when I…left, so I wonder what happened-_

As if on cue, his eyes shot open.

I fell backwards with a gasp, my elbow slamming against the floor as I scrambled to my feet.

Elfman blinked and rubbed at his eyes before sitting up with a confused frown.

"Mm…you're awake I see." He grunted, still sleepy.

I didn't answer, only stared.

Elfman frowned slightly. "How's your leg? The doc said you took in quite a bit of poison…"

The way he was talking to me was like I was a stranger; but then again, I had changed quite a bit since he last saw me…

"You…don't you recognize me?" I asked, sitting straighter.

He titled his head, "Should I?"

I reached up and pulled my hair back, fixing it into a style I hadn't worn in years.

Elfman's jaw dropped as he recognized me.

"A-Aya?!" he gasped. I let my hair fall back into place with a chuckle.

"It's been a long while, hasn't it?" I replied.

Elfman got to his feet and my jaw dropped. "My god…you're so much taller than me now! That's not fair!" I cried, trying to piece how a guy about my size had grown so much bigger in only… five or six years?

He was still staring at me in shock, as if I was a ghost or something. Before I could what was wrong, he answered my question.

"I…I thought you were dead!" it was more of an accusation than an exclamation. A pang of guilt slammed against my chest.

"Well um, I'm not?" I replied, feeling shaken.

He sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair to make it stand up.

"Five years… Five years we all thought you had died…Where have you been?"

_Ah, so it was five years…_

"It's a long story," I said. _A story I'd rather not talk about…_ "But does that matter? I'm back now."

Elfman didn't answer. I went and sat next to him on the bed.

_He hasn't changed much really,_ I thought, _he's still a softy like always._

After a few minutes of silence, I glanced at him.

"So, how is everyone? I mean, is Natsu as troublesome as before?"

I grinned when I saw him nod, a slight smile on his own face.

"Are Mira and Ezra still fighting? You gotta fill me in on all that I missed-"

The way he was staring at me made me stop in midsentence. The expression he wore was anger, an almost coldness-two things I didn't remember seeing him quick to.

"Do you think you can just act like nothing happened?" he asked, "Like you didn't just up and disappear on us?"

I flinched.

Elfman got to his feet and stared down at me.

"Where the hell have you been Aya? Fairy Tail mages just don't flake out on their nakama like that!"

I looked at my lap, my fingers clenching into fists. I bit my lip; _he's right… But he doesn't understand the story!_

"You don't understand," I replied, my voice shaky. "I didn't just up and leave-"

"No, you didn't. You abandoned us," he said walking to the window, "You abandoned me-"

"Don't you dare pretend to know what happened to me!" I shouted, on my feet as well. "Do you think I would willingly leave like I did? I never abandoned you, all of you were my family!"

"Then why did you leave?" he snapped back, "You say it like you were forced, what happened?"

I shook my head as I stood at the door. "I can't tell you…"

"What? Wait, where are you going?!" he cried as I opened the door and walked out.

"I'm sorry Elfman," I replied, walking out and sealing the door shut behind me with a flick of my wrist.

I could feel tears threatening to spill in my eyes; Elfman had been one of my closest childhood friends. It hurt me to see him so upset, to see him angry because of me.

_That's it,_ I thought, walking down a flight of stairs, my hands on the banisters to keep myself from falling. _When I go to get my bounty, I'm doing it in a disguise… I don't want to have any confrontations with anyone else… I don't want to hurt anyone else…_

I swayed on the landing; I was lightheaded, probably after effects of the poison.

_It's better off if they think I'm dead…_

Someone came up to me, probably thinking I was going to pass out; I ignored them and staggered to the front door.

Upstairs there was a loud, thunderous bang; probably Elfman breaking down the door. It gave me even more reason to get out of there, before he tried to come after me, before he tried to question me.

I had one foot out the door, and was about to make a run for it when a hand grabbed my shoulder and held me in place.

On reflex due to all my years of training I grabbed the arm, twisted and slammed the person into the wall.

"A-Aya?!" gasped the person.

I frowned, recognizing the voice and face.

He was older, but still an exhibitionist, seeing how he was only in his shorts.

"Gray?" I replied, tilting my head.

"Don't let her leave!" shouted Elfman as he ran down the stairs.

I growled and let him drop to the ground, before turning and stumbling towards the door. I needed to get out before it was too late!

Right when I reached the doorway a wall of ice worked its way up and sealed me in.

_Now it is too late!_ I thought, turning around.

Elfman and Gray were coming towards me, both moving like I was a trapped animal, which was _exactly_ how I felt.

"We just want to talk," said Gray, holding up his hands. "Can't you just talk with us Aya?"

I didn't answer as I raised my leg and did a back kick at the ice, shattering it and causing my thigh to throb even more.

"Damn it, she's not listening!" cried Elfman as he leapt forward. I gritted my teeth and ran full out, even though my vision was making everything sway like I was on a ship during a storm.

"Ice make…wall!" shouted Gray behind me.

Suddenly a thick wall of ice was in front of me; I was running so fast I had barely enough time to stop. I dug my heels into the ground and slid across the grass, slamming right into the wall.

In my weakened state the clash caused me to fall backwards and lay in the grass dazed.

"Damn, I didn't mean to have her hit that so hard…" grumbled Gray as he peered down at me. I glared daggers at him and Elfman; the two of them caught me, and until I was healthy enough to escape, I was stuck with them.


	4. ESCAPE!

Here's 3!

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Chapter 3:

"I told you already, I can't tell you guys what happened!" I shrieked, the chair I was tied to rattling as I tried to break free.

The questioning had already gone on for an hour, and they still weren't giving up!

The two of them, Elfman and Gray, had tied me to a chair, using a mixture of tight, itchy rope, and ice.

I let out a growl as I glared daggers at them; _they're lucky I'm tied up, or I'd…_

"Why not?" asked Gray in a much calmer voice than Elfman. "It's not like the two of us will judge you for it; we just want to know what happened."

I dropped my head to stare at the ropes around my waist.

"I told ya already… _I can't._"

Again I tested at my bonds; I wouldn't be able to break them with strength alone. I scowled and looked up at them, "And will you let me go already?! I'm not your prisoner, am I?"

Gray and Elfman exchanged glances.

"We really don't have any right to keep her tied up like this you know," muttered Gray.

Elfman frowned, "We do now. Here, look what I found in her pocket." He went to the dresser and pulled out-

"Hey, that's mine!" I snarled, tilting forwards slightly; Elfman must have taken it from me when I was unconscious.

Gray took the small folder and dropped the contents into his hand; there were a few packets of papers and a few photos.

"Oi! Leave that alone!" I shouted, hopping in the chair.

Of course my shouting made him want to look at it more.

"Read it," said Elfman, glancing at me.

"_In accordance to your contract with the Kandaisa Guild, listed below are your next target and instructions._

_Target: Reitfox Gazille, also known as "Iron Dragon." He is of the former Phantom Guild and ranked as a highly dangerous mage. He uses "Dragon Slayer" magic, physical attacks, and will project metal rods from his body. Your mission is to retrieve him and return him to headquarters where client will be waiting._

_Location: Fairy Tail Guild, Magnolia Town, Fiore Kingdom._

_Aya "Tsumetai" Akatsuki is to infiltrate the Fairy Tail Guild and retrieve target at all costs, regardless of what actions may need to be taken into effect."_

Every sentence he uttered felt like a death sentence, and the way his face darkened more and more as he read made me want to get out of there even faster.

"Is this true…?" he asked, glancing at Elfman who nodded.

Gray stuffed the papers back into the folder and dropped it on the bed, his eyes flashing to me.

"So you've become a bounty hunter then?" he asked in a strangely even voice.

"Yes," I replied, "Got a problem with it?"

"…Not really," he admitted. Elfman scowled but didn't speak.

"Okay then, let me go already!" I cried, hopping again.

"No," growled Elfman, "You're going to come back to the guild with us."

I let out another growl, my sense reaching out to find the nearest metal.

"The hell I am," I snapped. "Not when you guys make me your prisoner!"

_Damn… it seems there isn't much metal in here…_ Elfman and Gray probably took most of it away, seeing as they knew what my mage power was.

Gray sat down on the edge of the bed. "At first I was against doing this to you, seeing as it's against your will and all, but because you're targeting one of our mages, we have to take you in."

"Or you can talk and maybe we'll let you go," added Elfman.

"Goddammit!" I yelled, "What part of not being able to tell you don't you understand?!"

"The part where you can't!" shouted Elfman back.

Gray put up his hand and placed it on Elfman's chest to hold him back; he looked like he was going to grab my shoulders and shake me.

I gritted my teeth and stared down at the floor.

"I've been sworn to secrecy about why!" I hissed, "Sworn to the point where a spell doesn't allow me to tell you!"

I winced as I felt a sharp pain lash through my mind, a warning not to say anything more.

My eyes moved up to see what the two mages were doing; both were staring at me dumbfounded as they tried to figure out what I meant.

Before they could say anything, I tensed my muscles and forced my power outwards, causing anything metallic to suddenly lurch upwards.

It was a pity that both men had forgotten to remove the metal that they were wearing.

"Wha-!" gasped Elfman as his belt buckle lifted him up into the air.

Gray meanwhile tore through the chain, so not to float up as well. I needed to keep him occupied, so I pushed at the knobs on the dresser (which were highly magnetic and therefore REALLY easy to move), causing the whole thing to slide across the floor and pin him to the wall.

"You guys sure don't make things easy for me, do you?" I cried, hopping towards the window.

"L-let me down dammit!" cried Elfman, "Don't you dare leave, Aya!"

I needed something sharp to break the glass with, so I whisked Gray's necklace towards it, shattering it instantly.

A few shards cut at my bound arms, but one of the larger ones landed right in the palm of my hand.

I grinned and tilted it upwards until it made contact with the ropes; it only took a few slices before I was free.

"Wait, Aya!" cried Gray from behind the dresser.

I ignored him and placed a foot on the windowsill, turning around to glance at Elfman.

He was staring down at me in a mixture of anger and hurt; I felt a pang in my chest. I didn't really want to do this to them, they both had been so close to me when I was a kid, but they left me no choice.

"Mm I almost forgot…" I walked underneath Elfman and went to the bed where my orders lay. I took them and slid them into my pocket, before going back to the window.

"So you know, since you obviously think my occupation is so horrible; my nickname "Tsumetai" was given to me because I've never killed on a mission, not once."

Without looking at them I said, "Sorry guys…really."

Then, taking in a deep breath I leapt out the window, rolling to my feet on the ground below.

I winced when my leg and my stomach both throbbed, but I continued to walk away, ignoring the sound of Gray and Elfman calling my name.

I went around a corner or a building and fell against the wall, panting.

I titled my head skyward, guilt filling my chest.

_I've sure gotten myself into a pickle,_ I thought, _if only I had dodged that one thing the lady threw at me, then this wouldn't have happened._

I let out a sigh and looked at the ground._ Alright, I can't back down from this mission. I'll just disguise myself, sneak into the guild before Gray and Elfman get back and bag my target… Yeah, that'll work!_

"Ungh…now I gotta get there fast…" I groaned, getting up and walking again.

I had only gotten about three feet when I froze, feeling that someone was behind me.

I knew it wasn't Elfman or Gray, seeing as I still had them trapped into the room (my power could go about fifty feet or so out).

"A-Aya?" asked a voice.

I spun around to see Natsu standing there, staring at me in surprise.

"Aw dammit, not again!" I cried aloud, breaking into a brisk run. There was _no way_ I was going to be caught again.

I didn't hear him following, which was good.

But I kept running, running until I had to stop and catch my breath.

After I rested a bit, I turned towards the distant Fairy Tail Guild.


	5. Repeat of History

Oh gosh...well that was embarrassing, and stupid of me... I put in the wrong chapter...

It's fixed now, so no worries. To warn ya, this chap's short because I didn't have much time this week...but, next chapter will be much more eventful...especially with the entrance of yet another main(ish) character...as well as something being revealed about Aya...*grin* not tellin' what tho.

And my thanks go out to YamiCarol...who without I would have never realized my idiotic mistake ^^; (and yes, Aya is a trouble _magnet_...)

Saahren: Thank you^^ And cookies? If you're gonna bribe me, you've gotta specify what kind XD

* * *

*chapter 4*

"Ungh…still….hungry…" I moaned, walking down the road.

I had been walking for a few hours now, trying to put some distance between me and my…well, Elfman, Gray and Natsu.

_They better not have tried tailin' me…_ I thought, looking around.

The road I was following seemed to be cutting through a forest, and a very dark one at that. The sun was just above the mountain line, and it was getting close to late evening.

I paused and took a break, sitting beneath an old tree of to the side of the road.

_Damn…I need to find shelter soon, and food…_ my stomach growled at the thought, and I hit it lightly to be quiet.

As I rested, my thoughts went to my old friends; guilt bubbled into my chest as I thought of Gray and Elfman's face when I had pinned them; they had looked so surprised that I would raise a hand to them like that. And Elfman…

_He probably hates me now,_ I thought, remembering how angry he seemed.

"Damn it," I growled, putting my hand on my forehead. I winced and pulled it away; my forehead was hot, feverish.

_I still must have some poison in me…_ I thought, _damn…now I really need to find somewhere safe to spend the night…_

With a groan I got to my feet; there were many things on my mind, but I made finding a place to spend the night my first priority.

"I wonder if there's anyone living around here…" I muttered aloud.

I didn't think anyone did; not once did I see a person walking on the road like me, and it seemed pretty unused…no tire tracks or anything.

_Well, there's only one way to find out…_

I crouched down and touched the dirt with my fingers, letting some of my mage power creep into it like tree roots.

I closed my eyes and let it spread out, feeling for the slightest ting that would alert me to either a person or a home.

I found neither.

"Crap…" I growled, pulling back.

It looked like I'd be walking all night too, poisoned or not.

I took up a quick page again, hoping to clear the forest by nightfall.

***

My eyes lit up as I reached the edge of the forest; there were lights down below, lots of them!

That meant there was a village!

"I'm saved!" I laughed, stumbling down the hill.

It had been a long walk, seeing as it was early morning now, and I was exhausted.

There were only two things on my mind now; food and a nice warm bed.

Both thoughts left me groaning as I tried to climb my way down the hill; once I had gotten to the forest's' edge, it went into a steep rocky drop, and it looked like it'd be a difficult trek down.

Nevertheless there I was, sliding on my butt when I had to and using roots as hand holds.

When I was about halfway down, I glanced over my shoulder to glance at the village. Now that I was closer, I realized it wasn't a village, but a large town!

_Yes!_ I thought giddily, _that means I can get all my supplies-!_

My thoughts were cut short as the ground beneath my feet gave way.

"Shi-!" I cried, falling backwards as the roots ripped out of the ground.

I went sliding down the hill, rocks and whatever else cutting my skin.

I couldn't help but scream as I went down, I mean, you would too, wouldn't you?

When I reached the bottom I just laid there, my whole body hurting. And besides the pains from my little ride down the hill, I could feel the poison attacking my system again.

A groan came out of me as my head spun, the night sky above a blur of blacks and whites.

I don't know how long I had been laying there, but I could hear footsteps running towards me.

_God dammit, _I thought, _please don't let me have a repeat of yesterday… Whoever it is…don't let me know him…_

I squeezed my eyes shut as bright torchlight hit them; the light made my head hurt more.

"It's a girl!" cried out a young female's voice, "Daddy, she's hurt bad!"

The voice didn't sound familiar, so I cranked open my eye halfway. There was a little girl kneeling next to me, her eyes full of concern.

A second later another person joined her; an unfamiliar face. It was obvious he was her dad, they had the same eyes.

"Hello? Can you hear me, miss?" he asked, staring down at me.

"Well yeah," I muttered weakly, "I fell down a hill….I didn't lose my hearing."

The man chuckled, "Hmm… she'll be okay," he turned to his daughter, "Go call the doctor, alright?"

"Yep!" she cried, rocketing off.

The man smiled down at me, "Don't worry, we'll get you fixed up and rested; you're safe in our hands."

"Swell…" I groaned in reply, before I passed out.

My day just had to keep getting better, didn't it?


	6. Stocking Up

GYYAAA! I had to go and catch some sort of bug.... *ACHOO!*

Anyway, I know thing's are moving SLOW, but next chapter, I PROMISE to have Gazille-kun. I just have been procrastinating and leading up to it...mostly the first ^^;; i mean, balancing four things at once can be difficult, right?

YamiCarol: again thanks for pointing that out...it was my idioticy that caused it...

Saahren: TT____TT i know it's slow and not much has happened, but I'm starting fresh next update, i promise!

* * *

*Chapter 6*

_I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, my lungs burning from overextension. Suddenly my left leg collapsed and I went tumbling, the rocky soil scraping up my skin._

_I let out a muffled whimper, holding my bloody knee and panting heavily. I glanced behind me to see if I was being followed, but the road behind me was empty, or so I thought._

"_Tch, did you think I'd let you escape?" asked a voice, making me freeze and my eyes to go wide with undisguised fear, "After what you witnessed… Do you think I'd just let you live?"_

_A squeak of terror was the only sound that came out of me as the owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows._

_He grinned devilishly. "I'm feeling generous though; instead of killing you, I'll give you a choice."_

"Noooo!" I screamed, sitting bolt upright. The sheets were moist with sweat, and I was panting like crazy.

_That dream…again?_ I thought, wiping my forehead and letting out a sigh. My eyes went to the door as the sound of rushing footsteps reached my ears.

"Miss are you alright?" cried out a voice as a man came crashing through the door, his voice full of concern.

I put up my hand. "I'm fine, sorry… Just a nightmare…"

"O-oh," he replied, smiling with embarrassment.

I tilted my head, "Uh you're… Kenta, right?" I asked, not sure if I had his name right.

"Yes!" he replied cheerfully. I smiled.

Kenta was the apprentice doctor of the town I had wound up in; he and his father were the ones who patched me up, and right away it seemed that Kenta had a liking for me, even though I had only been here for two days, and one of those days in a delirious and mostly unconscious state.

"So…will your dad finally let me out of here?" I asked, trying to keep an even tone despite the annoyance I felt at being forced to bed rest.

"I don't know," replied the doctor-to-be, "That poison in your system was very dangerous… it's amazing you didn't die."

I shrugged, "Meh, anyway, I really need to be somewhere, so can you find out if I can go?"

Kenta seemed slightly crestfallen, but he nodded nevertheless. "O-okay, I'll be back soon."

Once he was gone I let out a sigh and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, deciding not to wait for an answer but to do as I pleased.

I did feel guilty, seeing how they had doctored me up and all, but I _did_ have a mission to deal with. One I wanted to finish quickly.

I began humming as I fished through a hidden pocket on my shirt, pulling out a very small bag of jewels.

The jewels were from my last mission; I liked the fact that they

I couldn't spare many, but I left enough to repay them generously. They made a nice sound as I bounced them in my hand, before I put them on the nightstand.

"Now then," I said aloud, sliding to my feet. A grin flashed across my face as I realized that I had been completely healed, not one ache anywhere. I stretched my arms over my head, before walking over to a window.

I was maybe a 30 feet up, facing the same damned cliff I fell down. That made things easier for me. Instead of running into any of Kenta's family…or his father for that matter, I could just slip out the window and into town without a word. Easy-peasy.

I hummed louder as I opened the window as far as it would go, before sitting on the windowsill and sliding out. It felt good to have the butterfly feeling in my stomach as I fell, and even the jarring feeling as I landed on my toes. Without missing a beat I began walking towards where I suspected the center of town lay.

~~~~LATER~~~

Well, it would seem that after so much bad luck, I was finally getting a break. The town I had found myself in seemed to be a popular stop for merchants, so I'd find everything I needed.

My first stop was to get new clothing, and preferably something I could also use as a good disguise. Then I needed to pick up some little knickknacks I could use on my target, and most probably a weapon as well.

An hour later, I had found almost everything on my mental list; I was now wearing a midnight blue cloak with a mask like attachment, and beneath it, a shirt with netting and a pair of leather pants. I had bought some food so I wouldn't starve myself into oblivion, and at another kiosk I had bought a bag; inside were industrial strength handcuffs, sedatives, and most of the other things I used for catching prey.

_All that's left is a replacement weapon…_ A pang of guilt rang through my chest; Kamikiri had been my weapon, and replacing it seemed wrong… but I had no choice. That Gazille guy that I was after was supposed to be pretty tough… I needed something at least to fall back on if my mage powers failed.

So I walked further down the kiosks, looking from left to right. When I had gotten close to the end, something silver caught my eye.

"Oooh…what's this?" I muttered, walking over. Sitting on a long table, propped up by two katana holders lay a flawless silver pole. Something about it drew me to it, and I reached out to touch it. As I did, the kiosk owner suddenly appeared.

"O-Oi don't touch that!" he roared, making a motion as if to slap my hand. I scowled; if he knew who I was, he probably wouldn't have yelled at me.

"Tch, well how will I know if I want to buy it if I can't test it out?" I grumbled, staring at him.

"Y-you're interested?" he gulped, looking remorseful.

"Duh," I replied, nodding. "Now, can I examine it?" The merchant nodded, his eyes sweeping me up and down, taking in my new clothing. I ignored him and held out my hand to the pole, using my power to make it leap into my hand.

"Y-you're a mage?" he gasped in surprise.

Ignoring his question I balanced it in my hand. "What's this thing made out of? It doesn't feel like steel or any typical metals…"

"It's made of a rare metal called Adamantine… Very flexible yet sturdy… Worth a fortune too, but I'm selling it for a very good price."

"Hmm…" Pulling back my cloak so I had less restricted movement, I twirled the pole in my hand the same way I would with my Kamikiri.

"Hello, I was wondering…do you have any stellar keys?"

_Stellar keys?_ I glanced at the girl who had suddenly appeared beside me. She was blonde and about the same height as me.

"Stellar mage, huh?" I asked without looking at her, now swing the pole around to see its wind resistance.

"Yes, I-" for some reason she stopped in midsentence. Now I looked at her.

"Wha-?"

She pointed at my side. "You…you're a Fairy Tail Mage?"

My eyes widened and I swung my cloak back over my shoulder.

"Oi, I'm going to buy this. How much is it?" I asked the merchant. Before he could answer I gave him three jewels, before walking away.

_Damn…she saw the tat… now I've got to start running again!_

"Hey, wait!" called out a voice.

I winced and quickened my pace.

"Please, just wait a second!" Clenching my jaw I swung around, almost considering using my newly purchased pole on her.

"What is it?" I rumbled, eyeing her. She seemed taken aback at my ferocity, but didn't stop running towards me.

The girl skidded to a stop. "I'm sorry if I've made you mad but I was just curious… I mean, I'm a Fairy Tail mage too…" she held up her hand which had the tattoo clear as day on it. I raised an eyebrow; _must be a new member…doesn't look familiar after all._

"And your point?" I snapped. She blinked.

"Are you the one who was with Gray and Elfman the other day?"

I stared at her. "Who? I think you must have me mixed up with someone else…" _crap…word must travel fast…_

"O-oh," she replied, but I could see she didn't believe me. Before she said anything else I turned and began walking away, hoping she'd leave me alone.

_Damn…if some noob knows about that little incident, then it's going to be hell catching that Gazille._

Luckily, the girl didn't pursue me. She continued to stare, but that was it.

"Lucy!" called out a voice. "Where'd you go?!"

I glanced back to see she had turned away; seizing my chance I ran full out, that way she wouldn't be able to follow or see which way I went off to.

I didn't stop for a good ten minutes, enjoying the burning feeling in my lungs and muscles. When I did, I found I had reached the outskirts of the town, and at a fork in the road.

Grinning, I tossed my new weapon (yet to be named) towards the ground. Before it hit, I caught it with my mage power and channeled energy through it. Like a giant compass I had it scope out the four points, before figuring out which way to go.

I knew I was only a days walk from the guild.

By tomorrow afternoon, I should be there.

_Reitfox "Iron Dragon" Gazille, here I come!_


	7. Wha! Target Acquired!

^^; sorry for the lack of updates lately... I'm just busy with my main fics and some drama at home... And the sort of rut i had fallen into while trying to write this. But I've fixed it, and I'm going to pull this fic together! Ahahaha!

I'll try and get two chaps out next week...

Saahren: you spoil me^^ Thanks lol

* * *

Chapter 6

_Tch, some things never change._ I thought, as I sat high in the branches of a tree. It was a bittersweet sight to see my old guild, and if I let myself, I'd be pummeled with a ton of old memories. My thought had been directed at the guild's building itself; though it had to be rebuilt, hadn't changed much.

I smiled and swung my legs back and forth; _so…where do I begin?_ I needed (and wanted) to catch my target as soon as possible, but there was no way I could walk into the guild and just nab him. No, someone would recognize me, not to mention probably try to capture me the same way as Gray and Elfman. Plus, there wouldn't be much fun in that.

_Reitfox…Gazille…_ I thought, looking at the small black and white mug-shot. He looked pretty tough, just like I had been warned. And what was with that hair style? I chuckled.

I looked over the pictured at down at the front of the guild; _let's just scope it out for today… maybe he'll walk out…_ _No wait, that's not gonna work. What I should do is ask around inconspicuously…_

Because of my history, I couldn't follow my usual habit; waltz into the guild, find target and pretty much drag him out by his ear. No, no, I definitely would have to do something more sneaky, more-

"You've got to be kidding me," I whispered, grinning from ear to ear. Who just decided to walk out the door?

Gazille Reitfox.

It seemed fate was generous today.

I pressed myself to the trunk of the tree, as I watched my target walk out and down the path, his expression fierce.

_Hmm…looks like he's going off on a mission… perfect. _That meant I didn't even have to bother with the FT guild at all… I grinned wider.

My target was moving closer and closer to my tree, totally unaware that he was being watched. My hand tightened on my newly found weapon out of habit, and I held my breath.

But I wasn't going to go after him just yet. It would be better if I took him out when he was somewhere free of witnesses. I didn't want the whole damned guild chasing after me for instance! Then again… based on what he had done prior to joining, I wonder who really would chase after him. Did the guy even have any friends here?

_Err…why am I even thinking about that? It doesn't matter anyway…_ I paused my thoughts as Gazille walked right past my tree. His footsteps were heavy, but wearing the boots he had, I wasn't surprised.

I didn't get down from the tree until he was far, far out of earshot. These dragon-slayer mages were known to have heightened senses, and I didn't want to risk being caught.

_I wonder where's he's headed…_ I thought, following after him, using the forest as cover.

We walked, and walked and walked. And not once did he stop!

My legs were burning and I was starting to lag further and further behind. And yet my target moved like it was no big deal! _What is that guy, the energizer bunny?!_ I had to use my new weapon (still unnamed) to propel me forwards.

Something in the back of my mind said that this much exertion after all that had happened to me was a bad idea, but I ignored it. I was after my prey, and there was no stopping me! Even if I was tired, even if my body was sore, even if…the forest was getting dark.

And not only was it getting dark; the forest was getting thicker.

_Ah crap! _I pushed myself faster, trying to get Gazille back in my sights, but as I reached the top of a hill…he was nowhere to be found. And neither was the road.

"No…" I groaned, sinking to my knees, "I'm lost…" I looked up at the sky barely visible between the treetops. "How the hell did that happen?!"

"Tch. So you're the one tailin' me?" called out a voice.

I froze for a moment, before getting to my feet. I looked around, but couldn't see him. I frowned and used my mage power to sense him out; it was very easy, seeing how he had piercings and a ton of metal on his clothes. I swung my metal pole like a spear at where I sensed, but I only hit air. I jumped back and searched for him, finding him standing nearby.

"When did you catch on?" I asked, turning to face him. His eyes were the fiercest dark silver I had ever seen.

"Tch. I knew I felt eyes on me when I left the guild," he replied. "So who are you, and what do you want?"

I straightened up to my full height (which was about a head shorter than him…).

"Aya Akatsuki, bounty hunter for the Kandaisa Guild. And you…" I quickly reached out and slapped handcuffs on his wrists. "Are my target!"

"The hell?!" he roared, staring at me in rage. _Err… I knew he'd be a lively one…_ Before he could try to break free or attack me, I slammed the end of my pole to the side of his head, knocking him out.

"Bast..ard…" he grunted, collapsing at my feet.

"Phew!" I cried with relief. Knocking him out would make things easier for me right now. I sat down and fidgeted with some of the items in my inner pocket, before I found matches. Now I just needed to find some wood and I could build a fire. There was no way that we were going anywhere tonight; I was tired, and I needed to secure his handcuffs as well as contact headquarters.

After a few minutes of stumbling around in the dark, I found enough wood to get a fire started. I piled them up and lit a match, before standing back as it ignited.

"Ah much better…" I sighed, feeling the warmth. My eyes slowly traveled to my target; now I could actually see him. Before, when we were talking, it was so dark I could barely see his face. But his eyes had been another story.

"Hmm…" I muttered, kneeling down next to him. I had to admit, he was kinda attractive, in a rough sort of way. Gazille had piercings on his eyebrows, nose, bottom lip, ears, and it looked like on his arms too. I had a few piercings too, a couple rings on my right ear, but that was about it.

_What am I doing? _I thought, _stop gawking at him and just get down to business!_

I poked at his sides, looking for a pocket or any hidden weapons, but I couldn't find any. Nor any info on his destination…_which is disappointing…_

He didn't have any bag or anything with him, so how was he going to eat? _Tch, what kind of stamina does he have anyway…walking for nearly a day without stopping…and no food!_

I let out a disappointed growl as I reached out and tugged at the hand cuffs, making sure they were tight. They were, but I had an aching feeling that he was going to break it. And I wasn't going to let that happen, so I decided to change how I was going to bind him for the night.

He really did have bad luck; wearing so much metal on his clothes and body… it made it too easy.

Using my mage power, I lifted him into the air a few inches. I grinned and moved him to a tree trunk, where I undid his hand cuffs and put his arms behind the tree. Then I handcuffed him again.

"Ha," I said, standing back, "You won't be going anywhere tonight~!" Of course he didn't reply. I had hit him pretty hard after all…

I let out a yawn as I laid down by the fire, _tomorrow's going to be a long day…_ Before I close my eyes I stole one more glance at my prisoner. _Hopefully he'll behave…_


	8. Next Destination: Azlea Town

**Alright well, it's obviously been a while since I updated. ^^; sorry about that lol**

**But this chap's pretty long, and I tried my best to make Gazille as IC as possible (but if I get it wrong, bear with me ^^;)**

YamiCarol: Actually he only turns completely metallic when he invokes his dragon powers. I have another colored pic of him from the manga where he's fleshy XD And yeah, she is in for a wild ride! XD thanks for reviewing!

* * *

*Chapter 7*

"OI! Woman!" yelled a voice, snapping me out of the nice deep sleep I was in. "Wake the hell up!"

I opened an eye; it was my target…Gazille.

"What is it?" I groaned, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep. He was glaring at me from the tree, his eyes smoldering with rage.

"Let me go, now!" he snarled, struggling.

"Oh shut up…" I moaned, "Let me sleep a little…longer…"

"Why the hell should I?" he snapped.

I let out a quiet little growl and sat up, wincing as my muscles screamed in protest. I glared at him.

"You're too damn loud…" I sighed, putting a hand on my forehead. "If you keep it up, I can always knock you out again."

He didn't answer, glaring at me with even more anger than before.

"Oh so scary… If looks could kill," I yawned, stretching my arms over my head and wincing as my back popped. I then turned and checked on the fire; it was nothing but embers now. Yawning again I threw some dirt on it to put it out.

_Well, things are off to an okay start,_ I thought, rolling to my feet. _We're lost in a forest, with no food or water, and no idea how close the next town is…great._

I looked up at the sky to estimate what time it was, but I couldn't see through the thick leaves high over our heads.

"Damn…well, let's see…" I muttered to myself, crouching down. I grabbed a stick and started drawing a map in the dirt. I could feel Gazille's eyes on me. I looked up at him.

"How close is the next town?" I asked. He gave me an incredulous look.

"Why the hell would I tell you?!"

I grinned.

"Well, think about it this way. If we get to a town, you have a good chance of breaking away from me, and more so than now. So telling me would help you too, wouldn't it?"

He didn't answer. I could see that he was thinking about it, and trying to read into what I had said. _This seems like it'll be fun…_ I mused, smiling.

Gazille looked away.

"Azlea town; it's a couple miles north of here," he grumbled.

"Ah, perfect," I replied, drawing a mark for the Fairy Tail Guild, followed by a line and a mark for where I thought we were. "North, huh?" I stood up and looked around for my metal pole. It was lying a few feet away.

I extended my hand towards it, grinning slightly as I knew he was watching. The pole lifted off the forest floor and began spinning slowly in a wide circle, before freezing, the top end pointing to the right.

"Ah, that way then," I chuckled, pointing. I glanced at him; Gazille had a slightly confused expression; his eyes flashed from me to the pole. I flicked my wrist and had the pole fly into my hand, before giving him an even bigger grin.

Yes, I knew I was showing off, but I couldn't help myself.

"Ah well, we'd better get going," I said, tossing my hair out of my face. "And that means I have to free you from the tree…hmm…"

I walked behind him, examining his hands and the handcuffs. Smirking to myself, I reached out and touched the handcuffs with one finger, releasing them at once.

As soon as they released he leapt to his feet, just as I had expected. He came around the side of the tree in a few strides, reaching out to grab me.

"I don't think so!" I laughed, jumping back. I made a swiping motion with my hand, sending my power at the handcuffs and piercings on his arms.

"The hell?" he roared, as his arms snapped together. But it didn't stop him; he came charging at me, his expression furious. I let out a squeak and dodged to the left, but he caught me by surprise and threw his weight that way, changing his direction and successfully slamming into me.

"Gyaah!" I cried, as his fists slammed into the lower part of my ribcage, the force lifting me upwards. But I wasn't going to go down so easily. "Bastard!" I snarled, swinging around him in midair and slamming my knees into his back.

The force sent us both to the ground in a heap, me clinging to his back like a half drowned cat.

For about a minute neither of us tried anything, both trying to catch our breath. My whole side was throbbing, and I could taste blood in my mouth.

"You're stronger than I thought you were," he grunted from beneath me, glancing at me from over his shoulder.

"Tch, don't underestimate me," I replied, "And I knew you were going to try and make a break for it. I should have just knocked you out again."

"Whatever," he growled. "Just get the hell off of me, I can't breathe."

"You make it sound like I'm heavy or something!" I accused, rolling off of him and to my feet.

"You are!" he snarled back, pushing himself into a sitting position.

"You…" I snarled, picking up a pinecone, "You never say that to a girl!" I shrieked, throwing it at him; Gazille blocked it with his bound hands, grinning slightly.

_Oh so he thinks he's getting to me?_ I thought glaring at him, _I'll show him!_

"It's getting later. Get up and let's go," I commanded, looking around the forest. I didn't hear him stand up, so glanced back at him.

Gazille smirked slightly, laying down on the forest floor.

"And I have to do what you say, why?" he purred, "I'm feeling very comfortable staying right here."

My eyebrow twitched as I swung my silver pole around and pointed it at his throat.

"Because if you don't, I'll knock you out again, and when you wake up, I'll make sure you have one hell of a headache! My orders may say to bring you back alive, but they say nothing about _how _alive!" I snarled, prodding his chest with the end of my pole. "So get the hell up or I'll…"

"Alright already!" he shouted at me, "Just stop complaining or I really will have a headache!"

"Like I care," I grumbled in reply, crossing my arms over my chest. He got to his feet and gave me a furious look, but didn't say anything. I nodded at him.

"Alright then, let's go. I want you walking in front of me, and no funny business, you got that?" He rolled his eyes in response and started crashing through the underbrush.

While he had his back turned I let down my guard for a moment, nearly falling over as another wave of pain washed through me. _Damn… I'm still not healed, and that blow to my side didn't help…_ I gritted my teeth and began marching after him, using my pole to push me forwards.

_Now then…on to Azlea Town!_

----

"Oh thank god!" I gasped, standing beside Gazille as the lights of the town glittered in front of us. We had finally freed ourselves of the forest!

The totally walk had taken what was left of the day, and the sun was now setting, leaving the sky painted with reds, pinks and rosy orange.

"Now what?" asked Gazille, glaring at me.

"Well, first off, we're going to get a room at the inn. And secondly-"

_GRUMBLE…._

My stomach cut me off; I groaned slightly and patted it.

"Secondly I need some food," I grumbled, slightly embarrassed. Before he could comment, I began walking, pushing him in front of me with my pole.

We didn't have to walk very far before coming across an Inn. And surprisingly there weren't that many people up and about, meaning less people around to ask questions about Gazille, or me for that matter.

"Ah, room for two if you please?" I asked the Innkeeper, as I stood at the register. He stared at Gazille with wide, fearful eyes before swallowing twice and nodding.

"Y-yes, that w-will be 30 crowns…" he stammered, his eyes flashing from me to Gazille and back.

"Geez, kinda pricy…" I muttered, pulling out a jewel. I set it on the table; it was more than 30 crowns; both Gazille and the Innkeeper noticed. I grinned.

"Keep the tip. Just make sure _no one_ bothers us."

I watched with mild satisfaction as the Innkeeper's eyes widened and his eyebrows all but disappeared into his sandy hair. Gazille stared at me in surprise at well; I turned and gave him a big grin, before turning back to the innkeeper.

"Y-yes!" he squeaked, before fidgeting with a ring of keys. "T-this way please!"

Gazille and I were led to a room on the lower floor, number eight. The innkeeper opened it and gestured for us to go in.

"Thanks," I said, before shoving Gazille into the room. I shut the door and almost fell over, a hand over my mouth. I heard the Innkeeper pretty much run away from the door, terrified of what he might overhear.

"Ahahahaha!" I laughed, tears in my eyes. "Did you see his face? His mind hit the gutter! Ahahahaha!"

Gazille only stared at me. I looked up at him.

"What? Don't tell me you thought…"

"Of course not!" he snapped indignantly. I grinned.

"Flattering," I chuckled. "Anyway, I told him that so _you_ couldn't try having someone help you escape!"

"Have someone help me? I can break out of this without help!" he snapped, before sitting down on one of the beds. I grinned at him, now finally checking out our room. There were two beds made of thick looking wood, a bedside table between them, and over beneath a window a table and two chairs.

_Very good,_ I thought, _this room doesn't have anything he can use to free himself with…_ My eyes flashed to a slightly open door; _a bathroom!_ I ran past Gazille and peered inside.

"Yes!" I cried, spotting the large bathtub. I did a little dance, thinking about how nice it would be to take a nice hot bath later.

"Great, so she's annoying, _and_ insane," grumbled Gazille. I walked back into the main room, my hands on my hips.

"Well I must say I'm surprised," I said, seeing him lying on the bed. "Other than your mouth, you've been pretty compliant… What's the deal?"

He opened an eye and stared at me.

"What?"

I went over to the bed and stood over him.

"I know you're reputation, and by the way you fought me earlier, you don't seem like someone who'd so willingly go along with me… Why aren't you trying to escape?"

I was baffled; I mean, I was being cautious, and I was keeping my guard up around him, but he wasn't doing anything! I had allowed a few openings for his escape already, like the fact that I left him standing in the room while I had my back turned, and yet he didn't attack me! What was with that?

"I'm tired for one," he growled, "Hungry, and curious…"

"Curious?" I replied, sitting down on the bed across from him.

"Yeah," he said, sitting up. "Why exactly is there a bounty on my head now?"

The way he said it made me tilt my head.

"Now? You talk like it's happened before…so why would you be surprised?" I asked, trying to get what he was going on about. As for his question, I didn't even know. A lot of my bounty orders came in like that, so I didn't question it, but now I felt curious too…

He grinned slightly.

"Let's just say most bounty hunters learned their lesson the hard way, when they met me. But you didn't answer my question, woman."

"Tch, it's not _woman,_ it's Aya. And as for your question, I don't see why I have to answer it. I mean it's not like you have any bargaining chips to use against me or anything."

He glared at me, and I just gave him a teasing grin. Suddenly my stomach roared, breaking the tense silence. I put my hand on it.

"Ah right, food…" I slid to my feet, wincing slightly as my ribs throbbed. I went to the door and opened it, peering out. A guy was sweeping the floor a few doors down.

"Oi, you work here right?" I called out, even though I already knew the answer. He looked up before jogging over.

"Y-yes? Can I help you?"

He was young, probably four or five years younger than me. I gave him a smile.

"Can I get you to run a few errands for me? I'll give you a good tip if you do," I winked. The boy's face flushed slightly, making me grin wider.

"S-sure," he replied.

"Good boy," I said, whipping out a couple jewels. I dropped them into his hand. "Now then, I want a good piece of strong rope, and I mean _strong_." He nodded. "And secondly… me and my guy need some food…we haven't eaten all day. So could you rustle up something from a restaurant nearby? And something big…probably four servings just to be safe. Okay? You got that kid?"

"Yup!" he replied.

"Good, good. Now go on," I lightly gestured for him to get going. "And the faster you get back the better!"

"Okay!" he cried, turning and all but running towards the front door. I grinned at him, before turning and walking back into the room, letting the door shut behind me with a loud click.

Humming I jumped back onto my bed, still grinning.

"What the hell was that "_my guy"_ crap?" asked Gazille, his eyes on me.

"Having people assume we're a couple raises less questions," I replied, rolling onto my stomach and staring back at him. "Why? Got a problem with it?"

"Whatever…" he grumbled, looking away. I chuckled and rested my chin on my arm.

"So… it's going to take a while for that boy to return… wanna play a game?"

His head whipped around. "A game? What the hell?" He smirked, "What are you, a kid?"

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Alright fine, suit yourself. Lay there in silence for all I care." I replied, turning my back on him and closing my eyes like I was going to nap. My grin never faltered, even though he fell silent. Minutes ticked away, and still nothing. I was about to give up on him when suddenly…

"What kind of game?" he asked.

I turned back over, chuckling.

"The fun kind of course," I replied teasingly. This was going to be interesting.


	9. Dinner, Bath, and Bed

**Aloe! Long time no update, ne? I've just been busy and lazy and just well yeah... lazy. ^^; But the chaps out now! So I can go to bed finally!!! So read and enjoy~ *falls over in a dead sleep***

YamiCarol: yes, mind hitting the gutter...it happens to my friends alot. Not so much me tho... I'm the innocent minded one ^^;

Saahren: Thanks ^w^ I'd hope he was in character...so I try.

* * *

*Chapter 8*

"Okay, so this game is called the Question Game," I said, sitting cross legged on my bed. "I'll ask a question, you answer, and then you can ask me a question, yeah?"

"Tch, sounds stupid. Why would I want to answer any of your questions?" he replied, glaring at me from where he was lying.

I put up my hands in mock defeat.

"Ah, fine, fine. It's your loss. Sulk over there all day if you want…" I fell back against the mattress with a sigh. "And to think…you might have been able to get some information outta me that might tell you why you're my target…oh well…"

I grinned to myself, counting down in my mind. _Three…two...one-_

"Gah! Alright, I'll play your stupid game…" he snarled. I grinned wider, before sitting up.

"Okay, well, I'll go first. How old are you?"

"Old enough," he replied. "You?"

"Eighteen," I grinned. It was obvious he really didn't want to play, but was doing it anyway. _I'm just too good!_ I thought triumphantly. I gestured for him to go next.

"Uh… what guild?"

"None, I'm a wanderer. At the moment I work for the Kandaisa Guild…" I muttered, leaning forwards slightly, "And you… You're an ex-phantom, and current Fairy Tail Guild member, yeah?"

"Tch. Someone's done their homework I see," he growled, looking up at the ceiling.

"Nah, everyone knows about it pretty much, I mean it's not often someone destroys a guild headquarters, and then joins them," I pointed out, putting my hands behind my head. "You're big news right now."

"Is that why I have a bounty on my head?" he asked. I sat up, pushing back my hair as I did so.

"I already told you, I have no idea. But…" I gnawed on a fingernail; "There is something that might have to do with it…"

I hadn't really thought too much on it up until now, but I had remembered it. Back when I had been on the train and questioning that Kisame Guild lackey named Satsuki, he had leaked out that his gang was after Gazille as well…and any other mage using dragon slaying magic.

_Hmm… Why didn't I think about this sooner? Not only does that put Natsu in danger… but-_

"What are you going on about, woman?" called out Gazille, snapping me from my thoughts.

"Eh? Well…" I weighed whether or not I should tell him, but I didn't see the harm in it. He was in my clutches after all, and I wasn't going to let him escape that easily.

"On my little trip down this way, I ran into a rival company, the Kisame Guild… After some _friendly_ conversation, it would seem…" I lowered my voice ever so slightly, "That someone's got a bounty out on all dragon slayer mages."

Gazille sat up, staring at me with those fierce eyes of his. I could tell he was trying to read my expression to figure out if I was lying or not.

"Why?" he asked quietly, almost demandingly.

I let out a growl.

"I already told you I have no clue. And it's not my job to ask questions, only to deliver, so stop-"

A knock on the door silenced me; my instincts making me turn around defensively. With a sigh I got to my feet and marched over to it, keeping myself in a defensive position.

"Yeah?" I called out, putting a hand against the door.

"I brought you the things you asked…" muttered a quiet voice.

_Ah, it's the boy._ I realized, opening the door.

He was standing there, looking nervous and uncomfortable, a coil of rope around his neck, and a huge covered dish in his arms. As soon as my eyes landed on it, I started drooling.

"Food…" I moaned, reaching out to grab it from him. The boy flinched in surprise, but let me take it.

I began laughing triumphantly to myself as I went to the table, leaving him and Gazille staring at me. I ignored them and lifted up the top, my eyes going big at the feast beneath the plate.

"Food, glorious food~!" I sang, not sure where to start. There were steaks, vegetables, more meats, rice, fish, and some bread. Plenty to fill me up. And it even came with two nice little pairs of chopsticks!

Grabbing a leg of something, I turned to the boy.

"Gook work, you can keep the change, kid. Just drop that rope and go, yeah?"

As I spoke, Gazille slid off the bed and came towards me.

"H-hai!" cried the boy, "Thank you very much!" he slid the rope off from his shoulder and pretty much ran out of there. I betted that Gazille probably scared him; I mean, Gazille didn't have that _friendly_ look to him after all.

I chuckled to myself and took a huge bit out of the leg, my eyes closed in bliss. A shadow crossed over me, making me open my eyes. Gazille was sitting across from me, staring at me with an unreadable expression.

"Wah?" I asked, my mouth full.

"Some of that is for me too, eh?" He asked, reaching out to grab the plate. I let out a slight growl, but let him take it.

I swallowed; "You're lucky I'm nice. I could let you starve, you know."

"Oh? And why are you being so nice?" he replied, picking up a steak and wolfing it down in two large bites.

"Well… for one, you've been behaving and not giving me too much trouble…" I said, gesturing with what was left of the leg bone. With my free hand I grabbed a roll. "And, you're kind of interesting…" I tore a chunk out of the bread, watching his expression.

Gazille's eyes narrowed for a moment, before he shook his head and picked at some rice.

"Odd woman…" I thought I caught him say under his breath.

The rest of the meal was silent, the two of us every now and again glaring at each other.

When I was done, I sat back with a loud sigh.

"Ah I'm full!" I cried happily, my hands on my stomach. Gazille stared at me, still eating. It wasn't surprising; he was quite a bit bigger than me…probably needed twice my serving to fill him up completely. _Heh…guys…they'll eat you out of house and home…_ I thought to myself, smirking.

Again Gazille's eyes narrowed, probably seeing the smirk on my face; I turned it into a grin in response.

"Ah, well now that I'm all full and happy, I think I'll take a bath…which means…" I grinned wider and got to my feet, walking to over where the rope was. "You need to be tied up."

"That so?" he asked, wiping his mouth roughly.

"Yup," I replied. "So that means you have to go and lay down on the bed. I'll tie you to that so you're comfortable."

His expression darkened. "And what makes you think I'll do that?"

Ah, so he was going to try and give me trouble? _I don't think so~!_

"This," I said, before lifting my hand and making a slow wave like movement. Gazille's arms snapped together behind him, his bracelets becoming bonds.

"You!" he snarled, "Damn it, let me the hell go!"

"Ah, and why would I do that?" I teased, walking over to him. I nudged his leg with my toe. "Now…get up."

His eyes were furious as he stared up at me, his arms straining to break free.

"Hell no," he rumbled, his eyes boring into mine.

I let out a sigh and put up my hands.

"I thought you were going to be compliant! Errr!" I cried, before crossing my arm over my chest and staring down at him. "Fine then, I'll just tie you to the chair instead."

Before he could answer or try to escape, I made his arms go through the opening in the back of the chair; I wrapped the rope around them a few times, and then tied them to the chair.

"You hate me, don't you?" I laughed, throwing it over his head to tie his middle to the chair. With my other hand, I gestured for the metal on his boots to stick together, making sure he couldn't try and walk away, chair and all.

"Do you have to ask?" he snarled, trying to look at me from over his shoulder.

I chuckled and stepped back, examining my work. I didn't think he'd be able to get away, so I relaxed and gave him a teasing grin.

"Now, I'm going to go and take my bath…don't go anywhere, okay?"

I could feel his eyes on my back as I walked into the bathroom; I grinned to myself. He was fun to torment, at least, when he asked for it anyway.

I shut the door half way, and moved towards the tub, looking for soap and some towels. The bathroom was well stocked and I found more than I needed; there were plenty of different soaps and bubble bath and so on to choose from.

"Pretty good for an inn…" I muttered, unzipping my pants and letting them drop. The rest of my clothing followed, before I shyly glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one could see me.

Humming, I reached out and turned on the tap, filling the large tub with nice, steamy water. When it was about halfway full, I added some sweet smelling bubble bath, and slid in, hissing with pleasure as the hot water lapped at my bare skin.

Feeling every muscle in my body relax, I closed my eyes and sunk nose deep into the hot, bubbly goodness, letting my mind drift off.

_It was warm…laughter filled my ears as I sat there, head resting on my arms, my eyes closed. Nothing could ever compare to sleeping among your nakama, nakama who always watched out for each other and created the warmth you could feel when you entered our building._

_There was no place like it, no other place would ever be like it._

"_How can she sleep like that?" asked a voice from beside me. I was more awake that he suspected, but I didn't feel like responding…no…it was better to just rest there, safe and warm._

"_Aw let her sleep, won't ya Natsu?"called out another voice from my other side._

_Yes, let me sleep… let me bask in this warmth a little longer-_

_BANG!_

BANG! BANG! BANG!

My eyes shot open at once, my body instinctively curling up into a defensive pose in the bathtub. I looked around the bathroom, trying to find the source.

_Wait… when did it get so dark in here?_ I thought, blinking a few times. I shifted slightly, realizing that the bath water was only lukewarm, much cooler than it had been a moment ago…or was it?

"Aw hell…did I really fall asleep?" I asked aloud, putting a hand on my forehead.

BANG!

There was that sound again!

"What the hell?" I cried, getting up and grabbing a towel which I quickly wrapped around myself. I nearly slid on the wet floor as I went to the door, my hair dripping down my back.

My eyes swept the room, looking for Gazille. At first, I thought he had escaped, but as my gaze dropped to the floor I found a sight that made me have to lean against the wall to keep myself from falling over.

Gazille was lying on his back, still attached to the chair. He glared at me from upside down, which only made it funnier.

"BWAHAHAHAA!" I laughed, almost falling over, my hand bracing me on the wall. After a few minutes of hysterical laughter I finally was able to stop and wipe the tears from my eyes. I walked over to him.

"Just what in the world are you doing down there?" I snickered, trying my best not to laugh again.

"You dumbass!" he snarled, "I thought you drowned!"

I stared at him, before raising an eyebrow.

"So you tried to rescue me, is that it?" I asked, before grinning. "Aw how sweet."

"No!" he snapped, "I was trying to escape, dammit!"

"Is that so?" I replied, backing away. "Well good luck with that." I turned around and went back into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.

_What is with him?_ I thought, glancing at the door. _Seriously!_ His supposed attempt to escape was a lie, I could tell as soon as he said it. So then…he _was_ trying to make sure I was alright? That made no sense! Hell, if it were me, I would have hightailed it ages ago! So…what was his deal?!

"Augh!" I cried, before drying myself off. _Damn him… He's just messing with my mind. Probably trying to lower my guard so he can escape! Yeah! That's it! Cheeky bastard… I'll show him!_

I put my clothes back on and left my hair wet; it was straight enough that sleeping on it wouldn't do a thing.

When I walked back out, Gazille was in the same position as before, still glaring and still on his back. I grinned at him.

"Should I help you up? You look mighty comfy down there."

"You should have drowned," he grumbled, looking away.

"Aww, I know you don't mean it," I teased, gesturing for my mage power to lift him back into the upright position. For some reason I had to strain to lift him up, something I hadn't really noticed earlier.

"Holy hell, you're heavier than you look…" I muttered, rubbing my arms. He didn't answer, only stared at me in a somewhat thoughtful way.

I let out a yawn. "Well, Gazille, I'm tired, so I'm going to bed. Seeing as you're not behaving, I'm going to have to leave you in the chair…so…pleasant dreams!" And with that I turned my back on him and jumped onto my bed, fluffing the pillows and burying myself underneath the blanket.

He was still silent, before he finally spoke.

"I saw your guild mark," he said softly.

My eyes widened, in surprise, but I didn't answer. He seemed to take that as a meaning anyway.

"So you used to be part of Fairy Tail? I thought you said you weren't part of any guild."

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping he'd drop it. But he didn't.

"What's your story, anyway?" he grumbled.

"Gah!" I cried, sitting upright and throwing a pillow at him. "Would you shut up and let me sleep?! Seriously!"

He had a slightly surprised expression, mixed with an also annoyed one at having something chucked at him. I laid back down with a frustrated sigh.

"And it's none of your business anyway…" I muttered softly. "So shut up and go to sleep…or let me sleep at least."

Gazille didn't answer, much to my relief. And, to my surprise and pleasure, I fell asleep within a few minutes.


End file.
